Extracellular yaluronidase from streptomyces koganeiensis

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to  Streptomyces koganeiensis  ATCC 31394 hyaluronidase having molecular weight of 21.6 kDalton, which has hyaluronidase activity and stability markedly higher than those of the hyaluronidase obtained from such microorganism to date. The invention further relates to a process for the isolation and purification of said hyaluronidase and its use for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions or as an analytical reagent.

STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

Hyaluronidase is a hydrolytic enzyme that cleaves hyaluronic acid toD-glucuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine; in varying manner, it is alsoable to degrade other acid mucopolysaccharides of the connective tissue.For example, high concentrations of hyaluronidase are found, in thebuccal apparatus of leeches, in the venoms of snakes, bees, scorpionsand in the culture supernatants of pathogenic bacteria such aspneumococci, β-hemolytic streptococci and Staphylococcus aureus. In thehuman body hyaluronidase is found in the cornea, ciliary body, spleen,skin and testicles. High amounts of hyaluronidase are also found inspermatozoa, thus allowing them to cross the hyaluronic acid barrierthat protects the egg cells.

Hyaluronidase is used in medicine in the treatment of edema, localinflammatory states, hemorrhoids and chilblains and to facilitate thesubcutaneous administration of some active ingredients. Somehyaluronidases were also reported to be able to determine a significantreduction in the size of myocardial infarction [1]. In the veterinaryfield it is used in antibiotic solutions for the treatment of animaldiseases, such as bovine mastitis. Furthermore, hyaluronidase can beused as an analytical reagent in some biological assays, for example inthe quali-quantitative determination of hyaluronic acid.

The industrial-scale production and purification of bacterial or animalhyaluronidases are difficult due to the fact that the enzyme becomesunstable in aqueous solution and loses activity upon purification.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,134 and the corresponding European patent EP 0 005751 [2] disclose a hyaluronidase obtained by dialysis and DEAE- andCM-cellulose ion exchange chromatography of the culture supernatant ofStreptomyces koganeiensis ATCC 31394.

It has now been found that such protein fraction, obtained after the twochromatography steps, is indeed made of numerous protein components(about 68 in bidimensional electrophoresis), but only one of them hashigh hyaluronidase activity and marked stability.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to hyaluronidase from Streptomyces koganeiensisATCC 31394 comprising the N-terminal amino acid sequence shown in SEQ IDNo. 1.

The enzyme is also characterized by molecular weight of 21.6 kDa,isoelectric point (pI) ranging between 4.4-4.8 and enzyme activity equalto or higher than 40,000 I.U./mg.

The hyaluronidase according to the invention can be obtained by aprocess including the following steps:

a) subjecting the supernatant obtained from fermentation of Streptomyceskoganeiensis ATCC 31394 to weak cation-exchange chromatography andisolating the protein fraction with hyaluronidase activity;

b) subjecting the protein fraction with hyaluronidase activity obtainedin step a) to diafiltration and strong anion-exchange chromatography andisolating the protein fraction with hyaluronidase activity;

c) subjecting the protein fraction with hyaluronidase activity obtainedin step b) to strong cation-exchange chromatography and isolating theprotein fraction with hyaluronidase activity;

d) subjecting the protein fraction with hyaluronidase activity obtainedin step c) to strong anion-exchange chromatography and isolating theprotein fraction with hyaluronidase activity.

Fermentation of the microorganism can be carried out by known methods,particularly the method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,134. Thesupernatant obtained upon fermentation is then collected, centrifugedand filtered. Furthermore, before being subjected to the chromatographysteps according to the invention, the supernatant can be subjected tofurther treatments aimed at removing residual particulate from theculture, by methods and techniques known to the skilled person. Usually,the centrifuged and filtered supernatant is subjected to concentrationand dialysis. Typically, concentration is carried out by ultrafiltrationon appropriate polyethersulfone filters with cut-off ranging between 5and 15 kDa, preferably of 10 kDa; usually the supernatant isconcentrated 8 to 12 fold, preferably 10 fold. Once the presence ofhyaluronidase activity is verified by a proper assay, for example themodified assay of Dorfman [3], the concentrated supernatant is dialysedwith a buffer solution that is chosen depending on the weakcation-exchange resin used in step a), in such a way that hyaluronidaseis at such pH conditions as to be able to bind to the resin; this resincomprises carboxyalkyl exchange groups, preferably carboxymethyl groups,such as the “CM-Sepharose® Fast Flow” resin. After properlyequilibrating the resin with the same buffer solution in which dialysiswas carried out, the sample is loaded and elution is then performed withthe same solution to remove unbound proteins, after which the pH isincreased to elute bound proteins. When the “CM-Sepharose® Fast Flow”resin is used, dialysis, resin equilibration and unbound proteinselution are carried out with 50 mM sodium acetate solution at pH 4.0,while bound proteins elution is carried out with 50 mM sodium acetatesolution at pH 4.5. The bound proteins that exhibit high hyaluronidaseactivity are pooled in a single fraction and subjected to stronganion-exchange chromatography [step b)]. Before proceeding, the pooledfractions are clarified by diafiltration, which is carried out by meansand methods known to the skilled person, using a buffer solution thatallows hyaluronidase to bind to the strong anion-exchange resin used instep b). Such resin comprises trialkylammonium groups, typicallytrimethylammonium groups, such as the HiTrap® Q XL resin (5 ml column).After equilibrating the resin with the same solution used fordiafiltration, the fraction obtained in step a) is loaded and elution isthen performed with the same solution to remove unbound proteins; thenthe eluent ionic strength is progressively increased to elute boundproteins. According to a preferred embodiment, the HiTrap® Q XL resin isused and diafiltration, column equilibration and unbound proteinselution are carried out with 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer solution at pH 8,while bound proteins elution is carried out by adding NaCl at increasingconcentrations to the eluent. By first eluting with 50 mM Tris-HCl, 35mM NaCl solution at pH 8 and then 50 mM Tris-HCl, 200 mM NaCl solutionat pH 8 two fractions are thus obtained, only the second of which,eluted with the solution containing 200 mM NaCl, exhibits hyaluronidaseactivity. Such fraction is diluted 8-12 fold, preferably 10 fold, with abuffer solution that allows hyaluronidase to bind to the strongcation-exchange resin used for step c). The resin comprises sulfonicgroups, preferably sulfonyl alkyl groups, even more preferably sulfonylpropyl groups; according to a particularly preferred embodiment of theinvention, the “HiTrap® SP FF” resin is used. Practically, afterequilibrating the resin with the same buffer solution in which thehyaluronidase fraction obtained in step b) was diluted and loading thesample, washing with the same buffer solution (about 20 bed volumes) iscarried out, after which bound proteins elution is then performed, byprogressively increasing the eluent pH. Typically, for the HiTrap® SP FFresin, dilution, column equilibration and washing are carried out with20 mM sodium phosphate buffer solution at pH 4, while elution is carriedout with 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer at pH 4.8; the fractions withhigh hyaluronidase activity are pooled in a single fraction, which issubjected to strong anion-exchange chromatography [step d)]. Usually,before chromatography, such fraction is diluted 8-12 fold, preferably 10fold, in a proper equilibration buffer, which allows hyaluronidase tobind to the chosen resin. The resin for step d) is a stronganion-exchange resin comprising quaternary ammonium groups; preferably,a Resource Q® column is used. After loading the sample, washing with thesame equilibration buffer is performed and bound proteins elution isthen performed by progressively decreasing the pH by 0.5 units, to pH 4.When a Resource Q® column is used, hyaluronidase fraction dilution,column equilibration and washing after sample loading are carried outwith 20 mM sodium acetate at pH 5.5; by progressively decreasing the pHas defined above, a first fraction of proteins at pH 5 and two fractionsof proteins at pH 4 are obtained; the second fraction eluted at pH 4 hasabsorbance at 280 nm and enzyme activity higher than the other twofractions, as FIG. 2 shows. By subjecting such fraction to 12% SDS-PAGEchromatography and silver staining (FIG. 6), a single protein band withapparent molecular weight of about 25 kDa is observed. Particularly, 99%of hyaluronidase purified by the above described process has apparentmolecular weight of about 25 kDa. Such protein only comprises about 5%of the hyaluronidase present in the supernatant obtained uponfermentation; hence, the process allows obtaining about 20-foldenrichment with about 30% yield.

With respect to other hyaluronidases known to date, that of theinvention is highly stable in aqueous solution, is not sensitive towardsthe action of proteolytic enzymes and has HPLC purity higher than 98%(FIGS. 5 a-5 h), which is required for therapeutic use; hence, it may beused, alone or in combination with other active ingredients, in thepreparation of pharmaceutical or veterinary compositions for thetreatment of diseases in which it is necessary or advantageous todegrade the hyaluronic acid present in the organ or tissue affected bythe disease.

Thanks to high stability in aqueous solution, the hyaluronidase of theinvention can also be formulated in the form of aqueous basedcompositions, such as solutions, hydrophilic creams, hydrogels, inaddition to the form of lipophilic products such as ointments or oilycreams.

With regard to human use, the hyaluronidase of the invention can be usedfor preparation of pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment ofedema, particularly traumatic edema, or inflammatory states, such as thehemorrhoidal syndrome; furthermore, it can be used for the preparationof compositions for the treatment of chilblains. The hyaluronidase ofthe invention can also be used in combination with other drugs whosebioavailability increase is necessary or advantageous.

For example, for the treatment of traumatic edema, combinations of thehyaluronidase according to the invention with anticoagulant and/orfibrinolytic agents are particularly advantageous. Such combinations mayalso optionally contain one or more steroidal or nonsteroidalanti-inflammatory agents. Furthermore, sulfated hyaluronic acid, whichis also known to have antithrombotic and anticoagulant properties, inaddition to anti-inflammatory properties, may advantageously be combinedwith these compositions. An example of sulfated hyaluronic acid that canbe used to that end is disclosed, for example, in EP 0702699.

Combinations of the hyaluronidase according to the invention with otheractive ingredients are also advantageous in the case of Injectablepreparations containing particularly high molecular weight activeingredients, for example monoclonal antibodies, cytokines or enzymes,which are usually administered intravenously; hyaluronidase allowsadministering them subcutaneously, according to the so-called EASI(Enzymatically-Augmented Subcutaneous Infusion) procedure, which ismainly employed for fluid replacement in terminal patients, in such away to limit or avoid nursing care. The hyaluronidase according to theinvention can also be employed for the preparation of pharmaceuticalcompositions for the treatment of resistant solid tumors; in fact, bydegrading hyaluronic acid, it lowers the interstitial fluid pressure inthe tumor mass, retarding or inhibiting its growth. For the same reason,it also increases the effectiveness of antitumoral active ingredientsoptionally combined therewith. Hence, a further aspect of the inventionrelates to pharmaceutical compositions containing hyaluronidase incombination with one or more antitumoral active ingredients, such asvinca alkaloids (vinblastine, vincristine, vinorelbine) and taxanes(paclitaxel).

A further therapeutic use of the hyaluronidase according to theinvention relates to the treatment of IgE-mediated allergic forms viaenzyme potentiated desensitization (EPD=Enzyme PotentiatedDesensitization), which consists of administering extremely low doses ofallergens to desensitize subjects susceptible thereto. By associatinghyaluronidase with an allergen it is possible to increase the treatmenteffectiveness, since the allergen more readily reaches the site ofaction. Hence, a further object of the invention consists ofpharmaceutical compositions containing hyaluronidase in association withone or more allergens that induce IgE-mediated allergic reactions.Hyaluronidase also finds use as a diffusion factor of drugs forodontological use in the treatment of oral cavity diseases, for examplelocal anaesthetics and antibiotics; hence, according to a furtheraspect, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions containingthe hyaluronidase according to the invention in association with one ormore local anaesthetics or antibiotics.

In ophthalmology, hyaluronidase allows to markedly expedite thetreatment of spontaneous vitreous haemorrhages and can be used, alone orin combination with other active ingredients, in the preparation ofpharmaceutical forms for ophthalmic use, such as solutions, suspensions,gels, creams and ointments, for the treatment of said haemorrhages.

With regard to veterinary use instead, a disease that can effectively betreated with the hyaluronidase of the invention is bovine mastitis; inthat case, hyaluronidase can be administered in combination withantibiotics, such as penicillin G, I-IV generation cephalosporins andpotentiated aminopenicillins.

Pharmaceutical compositions can be prepared by techniques and excipientsknown to the skilled person, for example according to what is describedin Remington, “The Science and the Practice of Pharmacy”, 21^(st) ed.(Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins); such compositions include,particularly, injectable preparations and topical preparations fordermal, transdermal and ophthalmic application. Particularly, topicalpreparations for epidermal application can be selected from creams,gels, ointments and spray solutions, while topical preparations forophthalmic application can be selected from creams, gels, ointmentssolutions and suspensions. As previously noted, thanks to its stabilityin aqueous solution, the hyaluronidase according to the invention can beformulated in aqueous based products; the choice between an aqueous andoily based formulation can be made by a skilled technician based oncommon knowledge in the field of pharmaceutical technology, depending onthe other components present in the composition.

Finally, the hyaluronidase according to the invention can be used as areagent in biochemical assays for the quali-quantitative determinationof hyaluronic acid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1: 2D electrophoresis of the CM-cellulose fraction positive forhyaluronidase activity deriving from culture supernatant of Streptomyceskoganeiensis ATCC 31394.

FIG. 2: chromatogram of Streptomyces koganeiensis hyaluronidase obtainedupon Resource Q® column chromatography (step d).

FIG. 3: 12% SDS-PAGE protein pattern of the fractions obtained at theend of each purification step according to the invention compared to thesupernatant protein pattern.

FIG. 4: analysis of hyaluronidase purity by HPLC on Bio-Sil SEC gelfiltration column [step d)].

FIGS. 5 a-4 h: SDS-PAGE analysis and absorption spectra of theN-terminal sequencing of hyaluronidase obtained in step d).

FIG. 6: non-denaturing SDS-PAGE analysis for determination ofhyaluronidase activity; comparison between hyaluronidase obtained instep d) and hyaluronidase obtained according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,134.

FIG. 7: mass spectrometry determination of the molecular weight ofhyaluronidase obtained in step d).

FIG. 8: determination of the isoelectric point of hyaluronidase obtainedin step d).

FIG. 9: comparison between the enzyme activities of some commerciallyavailable hyaluronidases and the hyaluronidase according to theinvention.

EXPERIMENTAL PART

The invention will now be disclosed in greater detail in the followingexperimental part, which illustrates the best mode of carrying out theinvention, which is not to be intended in a limiting sense.

Materials and Methods

Culture of the Microorganism

S. koganeiensis was obtained from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC31394) and cultured as described in [2]. Briefly, the microorganism wasgrown in 1 litre of culture medium [(20 g/l yeast extract(Organotechnie) and 5 g/l soy peptone (Solabia), pH 6.9)] at 30° C.,shaking at 150 rpm and for about 16 h. Upon growth, the culture was usedto inoculate a 50 litre fermenter (Biostat U, B.BRAUN) containing 30litres of appropriate medium [(10 g/l yeast extract (Organotechnie), 5g/l soy peptone (Solabia), 3 g/1 malt extract (Costantino), 3 g/ldextrin type I (Sigma), 0.2 g/l antifoam (Sigma)]. Before inoculation,the pH was brought to 7.0 with NaOH; during fermentation the pH wasmonitored, but not controlled, and the temperature was kept at 30° C.throughout fermentation, while shaking was kept at 300 rpm, withaeration of 1.6 VVM (volume of air per volume of culture medium perminute). The fermentation lasted 48 h, a time that corresponded to thehighest production of hyaluronidase enzyme activity (1×10⁵-1.3×10⁵I.U./l) in the culture supernatant.

At the end of the fermentation the culture was centrifuged at 5000 rpmfor 30 min at 4° C. (SORVALL Evolution RC) and filtered with 0.2 μmpolyethersulfone tangential flow filters, in such a way to eliminate theStreptomyces koganeiensis biomass (which occurred in the form of 1-4 mmdiameter roundish hyphal aggregates) and obtain a clarified supernatantcontaining hyaluronidase.

Determination of Hyaluronidase Activity

Hyaluronidase activity was measured by the modified method of Dorfman[3]. Briefly, the product obtained from DEAE- and CM-cellulosechromatographies was diluted in 0.03 M phosphate buffer, 0.82% NaCl, ph6.3 and 1 ml of the solution thus obtained was mixed with 1 ml ofsubstrate buffer (0.03 M phosphate buffer, 0.82% NaCl, pH 6.3)containing 0.5 mg hyaluronic acid. Enzymatic digestion was carried outat 37° C. for 30 min and at the end of the incubation process turbiditywas generated by adding 4 ml of horse serum based acid solution (SIGMA).The optical density at 640 nm was measured exactly 30 min after addingthe horse serum based acid solution. A standard of mammalian testiclehyaluronidase (EDQM, FIP Hyaluronidase, H1115000) containing 328 I.U./mgwas used to construct a standard curve and the sample activity (inunits) was calculated using this curve.

Chromatographies

The chromatography resins and columns were purchased from GE HealthcareLife Sciences and kept according to the specifications provided by thesupplier. The equilibration and elution stages were carried out with aFast Performance Liquid Chromatography system (FPLC; AKTA explorer 100,GE Healthcare) at a flow of 40-50 ml/min for the first chromatographyand 5 ml/min for the following chromatographies. At the end of eachchromatography step the hyaluronidase activity was verified with themodified assay of Dorfman described in the previous step.

For purity analyses by gel filtration the LC-10AD HPLC instrument(SHIMADZU) with a Bio-Sil SEC column (BIO-RAD) was used, eluting with0.05 M NaH₂PO₄, 0.05 M Na₂HPO₄, 0.15 M NaCl, pH 6.6, at 1 ml/min. Theabsorption wavelength used was 214 nm (SPD-10A, SHIMADZU). The proteinpurity was determined using the LC solution 1.21 SP1 software.

SDS-PAGE Electrophoresis

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses in the presence of sodiumdodecyl sulfate (SDS-PAGE) were carried out using the method of Laemmli[4] on 12% polyacrylamide gel, using a Mini-PROTEAN 3 (BIO-RAD)according to the supplier's instructions. The molecular weight of thepurified protein was estimated by comparison with low molecular weightstandard proteins (BIO-RAD).

Bidimensional Electrophoresis and Isoelectric Focusing

The protein fraction to be analyzed was mixed in proper loading bufferand loaded on pH 3-10 IPG strips (ReadyStrips 7 cm, BIO-RAD); the stripwas incubated at 25° C. until sample absorption and loaded on thePROTEAN IEF Cell (BIO-RAD) for isoelectric focusing (IEF).

At the end of the isoelectric focusing run (first dimension) the stripwas equilibrated in proper loading and running buffer, then it wasloaded in the second dimension on 12% SDS-PAGE, using Mini-PROTEAN 3cells (BIO-RAD).

Densitometric Analyses

Polyacrylamide gels properly stained with Silver Stain Plus (BIO-RAD) orCoomassie (BIO-RAD), were acquired with a laboratory imager ImageQuant300 TL (GE Healthcare), while (quantitative and qualitative) analyseswere carried out employing the ImageQuant TL image analysis software (GEHealthcare). Image analyses on 2D SDS-PAGE polyacrylamide gels wereinstead carried out employing the ImageMaster 2D Platinum 6.0 software(GE Healthcare).

Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometry analyses for molecular weight determination werecarried out using the Ultraflex III TOF/TOF mass spectrometer (BRUKER)and Bruker Protein Mix 1 markers, while protein identification wascarried out using the peptide accurate mass values determined byMALDI-MS Voyager DE-PRO system (Applied Biosystems).

Sequencing of the N-Terminal End

N-Terminal amino acid sequencing was carried out according to the Edmandegradation method using a pulsed liquid-phase automated proteinsequencer (ABI-Perkin Elmer Mod. 477A). The BLAST software [5] was usedto carry out homology searches on the GenBank data bank and that of thegenome project of web-available Streptomyces species.

Comparison Between the Enzyme Activities of Different Types ofHyaluronidases

The enzymatic potential of the hyaluronidase according to the inventionwas evaluated by comparison with the enzyme activities of some of themost used commercially available hyaluronidases (FIP hyaluronidasestandard, bovine testicle hyaluronidase type I-S (SIGMA), bovinetesticle hyaluronidase type VI-S (SIGMA), sheep testicle hyaluronidaseof type V (SIGMA), Streptomyces hyalurolyticus hyaluronidase (SIGMA)),using the above described enzyme assay and the activity value wasplotted in FIG. 9 as I.U./mg (protein concentration was determined byBCA Protein Assay Reagent Kit, PIERCE).

Example 1 (Reference Example) Obtainment, Purification andCharacterization of Streptomyces koganeiensis Hyaluronidase According toU.S. Pat. No. 4,258,134

S. koganeiensis 31394 ATCC was cultured as described in Materials andMethods; the supernatant obtained from centrifugation, properly filteredwith tangential flow filters, was subjected to weak anion-exchangechromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Briefly, 1.2 kg of DEAE-cellulose wasequilibrated with 25 mM sodium phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 and packed,then the supernatant, clarified in the same buffer, was loaded on thecolumn and eluted with 25 mM sodium phosphate buffer at pH 7.0containing 250 mM NaCl; after chromatography, the fraction havinghyaluronidase activity was collected and concentrated byultrafiltration, dialysed with 10 volumes of acetate buffer (pH 5.0) andrun through weak cation-exchange chromatography using a CM-cellulosecolumn. Elution was performed by 0.005-0.1 M acetate buffer elutiongradient. The positive fraction for hyaluronidase activity was collectedupon chromatography, concentrated by ultrafiltration and dialysed with10 volumes of distilled water (MilliQ, Millipore). The product thusobtained was filtered on 0.2 μm polyethersulfone filters and subjectedto assay for determination of hyaluronidase activity, SDS-PAGE,bidimensional electrophoresis and densitometric analysis.

With regard to bidimensional electrophoresis, whose result is reportedin FIG. 1, a 600 μl aliquot of the fraction with hyaluronidase activityobtained from chromatography was concentrated to a volume of about 20 μl(about 864 U of hyaluronidase) using BIOMAX 5k columns (Millipore). Theconcentrated aliquot was mixed with 125 μl of loading buffer (8 M urea,2% CHAPS, 50 mM dithiothreitol (DTT), 0.2% (w/v) Bio-Lyte 2/10 ampholyteand bromophenol blue) and loaded on pH 3-10 IPG strips (ReadyStrips 7cm, BIO-RAD), incubating the sample on the strip at 25° C. for 11 h.After 11 h of sample absorption, the strip was loaded on the PROTEAN IEFCell (BIO-RAD) for isoelectric focusing (IEF).

At the end of the isoelectric focusing run (first dimension) the stripwas first equilibrated for 15 min with a first buffer [(6 M urea, 2%SDS, 0.375 M Tris-HCl (pH 8.8), 20% glycerol, and 2% (w/v) DTT], thenwith a second buffer [6 M urea, 2% SDS, 0.375 M Tris-HCl (pH 8.8), 20%glycerol]. After equilibration, the strip was loaded in the seconddimension on 12% SDS-PAGE, using Mini-PROTEAN 3 cells (BIO-RAD). Afterthe electrophoresis run, the gel was stained with Coomassie PhastGelBlue R and analyzed, after scanning, by imaging software as described inmaterials and methods (FIG. 1).

Example 2 Obtainment, Purification and Characterization of theStreptomyces koganeiensis Hyaluronidase According to the Invention

2a) Obtainment and Purification

Sample Preparation

The clarified supernatant (about 30 litres), obtained from fermentationof Streptomyces koganeiensis ATCC 31394, as described in Materials andMethods, was concentrated 10 fold by ultrafiltration through 10-kDacut-off polyethersulfone filters and its hyaluronidase activity wasmeasured. The concentrated supernatant was then dialysed (10 volumes)with 50 mM sodium acetate solution at pH 4.0 and subjected to step a).

Step a) Weak Cation-Exchange Chromatography

The concentrated and dialysed supernatant was loaded on 200 ml ofCM-Sepharose® Fast Flow resin (GE Healthcare), packed in a XK-50 column(GE Healthcare) and equilibrated with 10 bed volumes (bed volumes, BV)of 50 mM sodium acetate buffer at pH 4.0.

After loading, the column was washed with 3 BV of the same buffer, thenbound proteins were eluted with 3 BV of 50 mM sodium acetate buffersolution at pH 4.5. Eluted proteins were collected in a single fractionhaving volume of about 200 ml and subjected to hyaluronidase activityassay.

Step b) Diafiltration and Strong Anion-Exchange Chromatography

The enzymatically active fraction obtained in step a) was subjected todiafiltration for 10 times with 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8, equilibrationbuffer, after which it was loaded on a HiTrap® Q XL column (5 ml),previously equilibrated with 20 BV of the same buffer. After loading thesample, washing with 20 BV of buffer was carried out, then boundproteins were first eluted with 12 BV of 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer, 35 mMNaCl at pH 8 to remove impurities comprised of inactive proteins, afterwhich the enzymatically active fraction was eluted with 14 BV of 50 mMTris-HCl buffer, 200 mM NaCl at pH 8 and collected in a final volume ofabout 50 ml. Equilibration, washing and elution were carried out at 5ml/min flow.

Step c) Strong Cation-Exchange Chromatography

The fraction deriving from step b) was diluted 10 fold with 20 mM sodiumacetate buffer at pH 4 and loaded on HiTrap® SP FF column, previouslyequilibrated with 20 BV of the same solution. After a first washing with20 BV of the same solution, bound proteins were eluted with 10 BV of 50mM sodium phosphate buffer at pH 4. Eluted proteins were collected in afraction having a volume of about 45 ml and subjected to hyaluronidaseenzyme activity assay. Equilibration, washing and elution were carriedout at 5 ml/min flow.

Step d) Strong Anion-Exchange Chromatography

The enzymatically active fraction obtained in step c) was diluted 10fold in 20 mM sodium acetate buffer at pH 5.5 and loaded on a ResourceQ® column, previously equilibrated with 20 BV of the same buffer. Afterloading the sample, washing with 20 BV of the same buffer was carriedout, then pH was lowered to 5 and elution with 1.0 BV of solution wascarried out in such a way to remove the impurities comprised of inactiveproteins. The pH was then further lowered to 4 and elution with 15 BV ofbuffer was carried out. The second peak eluted at this pH value, havinghigher absorbance, was collected in a final volume of about 10-15 ml andsubjected to ultrafiltration and dialysis with 10 volumes of MilliQwater (Millipore). Equilibration, washing and elution were carried outat 5 ml/min flow.

All of the eluted protein fractions, either enzymatically active orinactive or little active, were then analyzed by 12% SDS-PAGE asdescribed in Materials and Methods and then stained with silver stainaccording to the instructions provided by the supplier; in all of thefractions with the highest hyaluronidase activity a more marked proteinband at about 25 kDa was present (FIG. 3).

2b) Analysis and Characterization

HPLC Analysis by Gel Filtration

The fraction obtained in step d) was subjected to gel filtration columnHPLC as described in Materials and Methods. The result of the analysisis reported in FIG. 4.

Mass Spectrometry

The fraction obtained in step d) was subjected to 12% SDS-PAGEelectrophoresis. At the end of the run the gel was stained withCoomassie Brilliant Blue G-250 (BIO-RAD) and the protein excised fromthe gel was digested with trypsin (BIO-RAD). A peptide mass pattern wasobtained using the MALDI-MS Voyager DE-PRO system (Applied Biosystems).The obtained peptide masses were used for the data bank searches for theprotein identification.

N-Terminal Sequencing

The fraction obtained in step d) was subjected to SDS-PAGEelectrophoresis on 12% gel, as described above, then blotting topolyvinylidene difluoride membrane (BIO-RAD) and stained according tothe instructions provided by the supplier. The band was excised with ascalpel, trying to obtain a piece of the smallest possible size (3 mm×10mm) and was loaded in the sequencer reaction chamber.

Determination of Hyaluronidase Activity by Non-Denaturing SDS-Page

The protein samples to be analyzed for hyaluronidase enzyme activity[hyaluronidase and unbound proteins obtained in step d) andhyaluronidase obtained according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,134chromatography] were separated in duplicate on native 8% polyacrylamidegel impregnated with 0.17 mg/ml of hyaluronic acid. After theelectrophoresis run, the gel was washed three times with 0.1 M sodiumformate, 0.05 M NaCl, pH 4.0, and incubated overnight in the samesolution at 37° C. The gel was washed three times in 3% acetic acid andstained for 2 h at room temperature in 0.5% (w/v) Alcian blue (SIGMA)and 3% acetic acid solution. The gel was then destained in 7% sodiumacetate solution for at least 1 h.

Proteins that exhibited hyaluronidase activity were detected as palebands on the gel blue background [6]. Native-PAGE prepared in the sameway, but stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250 (BIO-RAD) was usedas a control (FIG. 6).

Passive Elution of the Protein from Native Polyacrylamide Gel

The protein band with hyaluronidase activity was excised from the nativepolyacrylamide gel stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250 andplaced within a 1.5 ml sterile tube. 0.5 ml of elution buffer (50 mMTris-HCl, 150 mM NaCl, and 0.1 mM EDTA; pH 7.5) was added to the excisedpiece of gel, in such a way that it was completely immersed. The pieceof gel was homogenized with a sterile pestle and incubated in an orbitalshaker at 30° C. overnight. After incubation, the homogenized gel wascentrifuged at 5,000-10,000×g (5402 centrifuge, eppendorf) for 10 minand the supernatant was very carefully taken out and transferred to anew 1.5 ml tube. After being concentrated 10 fold with BIOMAX 5k column(Millipore), the supernatant was verified for the presence of the elutedprotein by SDS-PAGE, and afterwards it was subjected to hyaluronidaseactivity assay and, as a confirmation, N-terminal sequencing (FIG. 5).

Determination of the Protein Molecular Weight by Mass Spectrometry

1 μl hyaluronidase (about 0.5 μg) was mixed with 1 μl of a solutioncomprised of 20 μg/μl sinapinic acid (SA) in 50% acetonitrile with 0.1%trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). The obtained mixture was transferred ontoMALDI plate and subjected to analysis as noted in Materials and Methods.The result of the analysis is reported in FIG. 7.

Isoelectric Focusing

A 20 μl aliquot (20 μg) of hyaluronidase obtained in step d), was mixedwith 125 μl of loading buffer [8 M urea, 2% CHAPS, 50 mM dithiothreitol(DTT), 0.2% (w/v) Bio-Lyte 2/10 ampholyte and bromophenol blue] andloaded on pH 3-10 IPG strip (ReadyStrips 7 cm, BIO-RAD), incubating thesample on the strip at 25° C. for 11 h. After 11 h of sample absorption,the strip was loaded for isoelectric focusing (IEF) on the PROTEAN IEFCell (BIO-RAD). At the end of the isoelectric focusing run, the stripwas dried with filter paper (Whatman), moistened with MilliQ water, andstained for 45 min using IEF Gel Staining solution (BIO-RAD). The stripwas destained for 1 h or longer with destaining solution (Destainsolution, Coomassie R-250, BIO-RAD). The sample isoelectric point wasdetermined by comparison with the reference standards isoelectric points(IEF Marker pH 3-10, SERVA). The result of the analysis is reported inFIG. 8.

Comparison Between the Enzyme Activities of Different Types ofHyaluronidases

The result of this assay demonstrates that the hyaluronidase accordingto the invention has an activity about three times higher than the mostactive among those used for the comparison (FIG. 9).

Sequencing

Sequencing of the N-terminal end, which was carried out as described inmaterials and methods, allowed to establish that it contains thefollowing amino acid sequence:

Ala-Gly-Glu-Asn-Gly-Ala-Thr-Thr-Thr-Phe-Asp-Gly-Pro-Val-Ala (SEQ ID No.1)

Example 3 Pharmaceutical Preparations

Preparation 1—Hydrophilic gel Amounts (I.U. or mg/1 g Components ofhydrogel) Hyaluronidase 150 I.U. Carbomer 974P 15 mg Glycerol 100 mgPropylene glycol 66.75 mg Triethanolamine (TEA) 13.25 mg Polyethyleneglycol 400 66.75 mg Methyl p-hydroxybenzoate 2 mg Propylp-hydroxybenzoate 0.2 mg Purified water g.s. to 1 g

Methyl- and propyl-paraben were dissolved in purified water at 80° C.After the solution cooled down to room temperature, hyaluronidase wasadded, shaking until completely dissolved, after which PEG 400 wasadded, continuing to shake until dissolved. To this solution Carbomer®974P was added, continuing to shake until homogeneous dispersion andcomplete hydration thereof, then TEA was added to obtain the aqueousphase gelation. Finally, always under shaking, glycerol and propyleneglycol were added. Preparation 2—Hydrophilic cream (o/w emulsion)Amounts (I.U. or mg/1 g of Components cream) Hyaluronidase 150 I.U.Tefose 1500 110 mg Glycerol 80 mg Stearic acid 33 mg Liquid paraffin 40mg Methyl p-hydroxybenzoate 1 mq Purified water q.s. to 1 g

For the preparation of the oily phase, liquid paraffin, stearic acid andTefose® 1500 were melted under shaking at 50° C. Separately, the aqueousphase was prepared by initial solution of methyl-paraben at 80° C.,subsequent cooling to room temperature and incorporation of glycerol andhyaluronidase under shaking until completely dissolved.

The aqueous phase was added to the oily phase, proceeding withemulsification, after which the obtained o/w emulsion was cooled undershaking to room temperature. Preparation 3—Ointment Amounts (I.U. ormg/1 g of Components ointment) Hyaluronidase 150 I.U. Light liquidparaffin 200 mg White vaseline q.s. to 1 g

The ointment base was prepared by melting light liquid paraffin andwhite vaseline under shaking at 70° C. After cooling to roomtemperature, hyaluronidase was incorporated, mixing until obtaining ahomogeneous suspension. Preparation 4—Lipogel Amounts (I.U. or mg/1 gComponents of lipogel) Hyaluronidase 150 I.U. Hydrogenated castor oil 10mg Cetostearyl alcohol 50 mg White vaseline 365 mg Light liquid paraffinq.s. to 1 g

Light liquid paraffin, white vaseline and the cetylstearyl alcohol weremelted under shaking at 90° C., after which, under shaking, hydrogenatedcastor oil (lipogelation agent) was added until homogeneous solution.After slowly cooling to room temperature, hyaluronidase wasincorporated, mixing until obtaining a homogeneous suspension.Preparation 5—Injectable solutions for intramuscular or subcutaneous useAmounts (I.U. or Components mg/ml of sol.) Hyaluronidase 200 I.U.Lactose 0.93 Potassium Phosphate Dibasic 0.36 Potassium Phosphate 0.23Monobasic Sodium chloride 9

Lactose and hyaluronidase were dissolved, under shaking, in bufferedsaline at pH 6.4-7.2, prepared at room temperature and the solution thusobtained was filtered on 0.22-micron filters.

REFERENCES

-   [1] Maclean, D., Fishbein, M C., Maroko, P R. & AND Braunwald AND.    1976 Science, 194: 99-200.-   [2] Yoshida, K., Fujii, T., Kikuchi, H. 1981. U.S. Pat. No.    4,258,134 and European patent EP 0 005 751-   [3] Dorfman, A. 1955. Methods in Enzymology, 1: 166-173.-   [4] Laemmli, U. K. 1970. Cleavage of structural proteins during the    assembly of head of bacteriophage T4. Nature (London) 227:680-685.-   [5] Alcschul S F, Madden T L, Schäffer A A, Zhang J, Zhang Z, Miller    W, Lipman D J. 1997. Gapped BLAST and PSI-BLAST: a new generation of    protein database search programs. Nucleic Acids Res. 25:3389-3402.-   [6] Guntenhoener, M. W., Pogrel, M. A., and Stern, R. 1992. Matrix    12, 388-396.-   [7] Lachmann S, Rommeleare J, Nüesch J P. 2003. Novel PKCeta is    required to activate replicative functions of the major    nonstructural protein NS1 of minute virus of mice. J Virol 2003;    77(14):8048-60.

1. Hyaluronidase from Streptomyces koganeiensis ATCC 31394 comprisingthe N-terminal amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No.
 1. 2.Hyaluronidase according to claim 1 having a molecular weight of 21.6kDa, an isoelectric point (pI) ranging from 4.4 to 4.8 and an enzymaticactivity equal to or higher than 40,000 I.U./mg.
 3. A process for thepreparation of the hyaluronidase according to claim 1 comprising thefollowing steps: a) submitting the supernatant obtained from thefermentation of Streptomyces koganeiensis ATCC 31394 to weakcation-exchange chromatography and isolating the protein fraction withhyaluronidase activity; b) submitting the protein fraction withhyaluronidase activity from step a) to diafiltration and stronganion-exchange chromatography and isolating the protein fraction withhyaluronidase activity; c) submitting the protein fraction withhyaluronidase activity from step b) to strong cation-exchangechromatography and isolating the protein fraction with hyaluronidaseactivity; d) submitting the protein fraction with hyaluronidase activityfrom step c) to strong anion-exchange chromatography and isolating theprotein fraction with hyaluronidase activity. 4.-7. (canceled)
 8. Apharmaceutical or veterinary compositions containing the hyaluronidaseof claim 1 in admixture with suitable excipients and/or carriers.
 9. Thecomposition according to claim 8 in the form of injectable preparationsor of topical preparations for epidermal, transdermal or ophthalmicapplication.
 10. The compositions according to claim 8 furthercontaining one or more active principles selected from: steroidal andnon-steroidal antinflammatories, antitumor agents, allergens, localanesthetics, antibiotics, monoclonal antibodies, cytokines, enzymes andsulphated hyaluronic acid.
 11. The compositions according to claim 10 inwhich the active principle is sulphated hyaluronic acid and the topicalcomposition for epidermal application is in the form of cream, gel,ointment or spray.
 12. A reagent in biochemical assays for thequali/quantitative determination of hyaluronic acid, said reagentcomprising the hyaluronidase according to claim
 1. 13. The compositionaccording to claim 8 for use in the treatment of diseases, in whichtreatment degradation of hyaluronic acid in the affected tissues ororgans is advantageous or desirable.
 14. The composition according toclaim 8 wherein the disease is selected from edema, inflammation,chilblain, solid tumors, IgE-mediated allergies, oral diseases andspontaneous vitreous haemorrhages.
 15. The composition according toclaim 8 wherein the disease is bovine mastitis.
 16. A pharmaceutical orveterinary composition containing the hyaluronidase of claim inadmixture with suitable excipients and/or carriers
 17. A method fortreating a disease selected from edema, inflammation, chilblain, solidtumors, IgE-mediated allergies, oral diseases and spontaneous vitreoushaemorrhages, comprising administering the hyaluronidase according toclaim 1 to a subject in need thereof.
 18. The method according to claim17 wherein the disease is bovine mastitis.